


Kiss it better

by yogini



Series: Christmas fluff Camelot style [14]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Caring, Christmas Fluff, Cute, Established Relationship, Ficlet, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Love, M/M, Protectiveness, Robbery, Short One Shot, Sweet, Taking care of Merlin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-14
Updated: 2014-12-14
Packaged: 2018-03-02 06:45:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2803280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yogini/pseuds/yogini
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin gets hurt on his way home from work and Arthur takes care of him…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kiss it better

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or any of the characters in the series, I'm just borrowing them from their respective owners to play with a little and I promise to give them back when I'm done. No copyright infringement is intended and I don't make any money from writing fanfiction.

Arthur rushed through the hospital doors and all but ran up to the counter.

“I’m here to see Merlin Emrys, where is he?” he asked frantically and the receptionist looked at him compassionately before turning to her computer monitor. A few moments later he had the information that he needed and he set off running again.

 

“Promise you’ll never do that again” Arthur said shakily while hugging the younger man as tight as he could without hurting him. Merlin rolled his eyes.

“Promise never to leave work late in the evening again? Sounds good to me” he answered cheekily and Arthur would have punched his shoulder if someone else hadn’t already done that and he had to settle for a displeased groaning instead.

“You know what I mean” he said and looked straight into Merlin’s blue eyes. “It’s not safe carrying around that much money late at night, especially during the Christmas rush. Everyone knows that the tills are bursting in the stores at this time of the year.” Merlin nodded and winced when he jostled his shoulder.

“Yeah, I know. But Cenred’s made it pretty clear that I’ll be fired if I complain about it.”

“Fuck Cenred!” Arthur spat out vehemently. He hated Merlin’s creep of a boss.

“No, I rather not, thank you” Merlin quipped and before Arthur could start yelling at him for not taking it seriously they were interrupted by a doctor entering.

 

“Too bad it’s not Halloween” Merlin said, looking at his bruised self in the mirror in the hall when they got home. “I wouldn’t even have to use any makeup; I could go trick-or-treating like this.”

“This is not a bloody joke!” Arthur exploded. He couldn’t understand how Merlin could even think of joking about being assaulted and robbed on his way home from work. “How can you not take this seriously?” You could have died!” Arthur trembled as he uttered those last words and noticed that Merlin had frozen the spot.

“That’s why I joke, Arthur” he said quietly. “Because if I don’t, all I can think of is the fact that I could have died and not come home to you. And it scares me so much that I can’t even bear thinking about it.” Tears had formed in Merlin’s eyes and Arthur took a quick step forward and wrapped his arms around him. Merlin started shaking and all Arthur could do while his boyfriend cried was to hold him, murmuring sweet nonsense as comfort. He also, truth to be told, murmured about what he’d do to the sorry excuse for a human being if the police ever found the robber who’d attacked Merlin. Maybe it wasn’t the most comforting thing to talk about but when Arthur mentioned disembowelment he thought he heard Merlin chuckle quietly.

 

At last Merlin pulled back, softly snivelling, and looked into Arthur’s eyes.

“Arthur, I’m tired. Could we lay down for a bit?” Immediately Arthur sprinted off towards the bedroom, turned the bed down, brought an extra blanket for his perpetually cold boyfriend, put a glass of water on the nightstand and dug out a couple of pain pills if Merlin would need them. Then he fretted over Merlin being uncomfortable in the bed, perhaps he wanted a softer shirt to sleep in or a plusher pillow so that his bruises didn’t hurt or maybe…?

“Arthur” Merlin interrupted. “I’m fine and…” As he caught Arthur’s incredulous look he quickly amended: “All right, I’m not fine but I’m comfortable now. Please join me?” Arthur quickly shed his clothes and joined Merlin on the bed, pulling the duvet up over them both.

 

They were both content just to rest in each other’s arms, feeling warm and secure but after a while Merlin spoke.

“Arthur?”

“Mmmm?” Arthur shifted slightly so that he could rest his nose against the nape of Merlin’s neck and Merlin shivered when he felt Arthur’s exhalations like puffs of warm air, ghosting against his skin.

“I’m afraid I lied a little before” Merlin said, hurrying to continue before his boyfriend would explode again. “I said I was fine but really, my lips hurt a little.” Merlin turned around to face his boyfriend. “Would you kiss them better for me?” Arthur smiled.

“Absolutely” he said, before placing a feather light kiss in his boyfriend’s soft lips, carefully avoiding the sore area. “Always.”


End file.
